Electric water heater for water-cooled internal-combustion engines



Sept. 18, 1928.

1.. PARKER ET AL ELECTRIC WATER HEATER FOR WATER COOLED INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed March 3, 1925 K I/{ E/VToR 17770 zvs Patented Sept. 18, 1928.

UNITED STATES v 1,684,845 PATENT OFFICE.

LEROY PARKER, OF UTICA, AND LOU E. MILLER, 01? NEW HARTFORD, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC WATER HEATER FOR WATERCOOLIED INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed March 3, 1925. Serial No. 12,915.

This invention relates to a fluid circulating system for internal combustion engines of the water-cooled type having the usual water jacket for the cylinders connected to any standard form of radiator in any wellknown manner for keeping the temperature of the cylinders at a safe degree.

It is well-known that in the use of engines of this .type in relatively low temperatures considerable difliculty is experienced in starting the engine after more or less prolonged periods of rest and in unheated garages and similar places of storage resulting in excessive discharge of the battery in operating the starting motor and consequent loss of the use of the car until the battery is re-charged.

Furthermore under these conditions even though greater or lesser amount of non-freez- I ing cooling agent is employed in the colder climates there is always present the liability of freezing of the cooling liquid and consequent damage to the engine or radiator.

The main object of our present invention is to connect a relativelysmall and compact electric heater in the liquid circulating system in such manner that it may be easily and quickly connected to any ordinary incandescent lamp circuit with which the garage may be equipped and whereby the liquid in the circulating system may be kept at a reasonably warm temperature for indefinite periods of time while the car is housed.

Another object is to inclose the heating unit in such manner as to reduce the fire risk to a minimum;

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts ofthe device will be brought out in the following description. 4

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an internal combustion engine for motor vehicles equipped with our improved liquid heating device. i

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the detached heater.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken. in the plane of line 33, Figure 2.

In order that our invention may be clearly understood we have shown an internal combustion engine -Ae of the water-cooled type having the usual water jacket connected by an upflow pipe aand a return flow pipe -a to a radiator B- of any Wellknown construction, the water jacket of the engine being adapted to surround the cylinders in the usual manner.

As illustrated, the device for heating the water or other cooling agent in the circulating system comprises outer and inner cylindrical or tubular shells 1 and 2, a pipe coil 3 and an electric heating unit 4-, the pipe coil and heating unit being inclosed within the protective housing consisgiig of the cylindrical shells 1 and The outer shell 1 is somewhat longer than the inner shell 2 and extends beyond the opposite ends thereof and is provided with lower and upper end heads 5 and 5- telescoping with the corresponding endsof the tube --1.

A hollow tie bolt 6- extends entirely through and beyond the opposite ends of the outer case 1- co-axial therewith and also through central openings in the lower and upperend heads 5 and 5- and has its opposite ends engaged by suitable nuts -7 and 7' which also, engage the outer faces of the end heads -5 and -5,- for clamping said heads to the corresponding ends of the outer tube, said nuts also serving to close the bolt openings in the adjacent heads to render the outer tube practically air and gas tight, the upper nut 7- is preferably closed at the top to additionally protect the adjacent joint against entrance of moisture or gas, said nuts serving not only to facilitate the assembly of the various parts of the heater but also permits them to be readily taken apart when necessary for repairs or cleaning.

The innertube 2-- is of less diameter and relatively shorter than the outer tube 1 into which it is inserted and is'provided with lower and upper end heads -8 and 8 in vertically spaced relation for receiving the central openings in the heads 8 and 8- and are provided with additional nuts 11 and '-1l-- for engaging the corresponding end heads --8 and 8' and thereby clamping them firmly against the corresponding ends of the inner tube 2- to form air and gas tight joints therewith and with the tie bolt 6. V

lVe preferably employ two of the nuts 11 for engaging the outer and inner faces of the lower head 8 thus permitting said head to be properly adjusted on the tie bolt before it is inserted in the outer tube and to otherwise facilitate the assembling of the variousparts of the heater.

The pipe coil 3 is provided with a relatively large number of turns or convolutions coiled around the tie bolt 6- coaxial therewith and in spaced relation thereto so that the convolutions lie in close proximity to each other and extend the major portion of the length of the inner tube between the end heads 8 and 8, the outside diameter of the coil being substantially equal to the in side diameter of the inner tube 2 with just suflicient clearance to permit it to be moved endwise therein when assembling the various parts.

One end as -3- of the pipe coil extends downwardly through suitable openings in the lower end heads 5- and -8 and is connected to the return flow conduit aleading from the radiator B to an inlet of the suitable pump G having its out-let connected to the water acket of the cylinders.

The upper end as 3" of the pipe coil 3 extends through suitable openings in the tube heads 8 and 5' and is connected directly to the upper portion of the waterj acket of the enginetli'us completing the connection of the pipe coil in the water cooling system of the engine.

The electric heating element consists of a band of electric resistance wire or tape wound around and upon a cylindrical support 12- of porcelain or other insulating material so that its convolutions are insulated from each other.

The insulating support l2- preferably consists of a tubular sleeve mounted upon the intermediate portion of the hollow tie rod -6 between the end heads -S- and 8- of the inner tube 2 and also within the pipe coil so as to support the heating element t in spaced relation to the pipe coil and coaxial therewith.

This insulatingssleeve 12 is clamped between shoulders 13 and 1- on the rod 6, one of said shoulders as ,-14- be- I ing engaged with the threaded portion of the rod and, therefore, adjustable for permitting tluce1 removal of the sleeve from and upon the re The opposite ends of the heating coil 4 are connected to a cable 15 which extends through the tubular tie rod 6 and outwardly therefrom and terminates in a suitable plug 16 adapted to be inserted in any suitable incandescent electric lamp socket in the building in which the car is housed.

The ends 3 and 3" of the pipe coil -3 are connected respectively to the conduit -a and to the water jacket of the engine by any suitable unions and when so connected establishes a supplemental circulating circuit from the water jacket and radiator through the pipe coil 3-.

When the plug 16- of the heating circuit is connected to the source of supply the heating coil l will be heated to impart its heatto the pipe coils -3 which are preferably made of copper thereby heating the water in said coils and causing it to circulate through the water jacket and radiator to keep the water therein at a sufficiently high temperature to facilitate the starting of the engine by the starting motor or by cranking if necessary and at the same time reducing the liability of freezing of the water in the circulating system.

\Vhat we claim is:

A. device of the character described comprising a double-walled shell having an air chamber between the walls thereof, a pipe coil within the shell and having its ends provided with means for attachment to the water circulating system of a water-cooled internal combustion engine, a hollow tie rod extending centrally through the shell and operatively connected to opposite ends thereof, an insulating support mounted on the tie rod and surrounded by the pipe coil and a heater coil, mounted on said support and having its ends extended into the tie rod and outwardly be yond one end thereof and provided with means for connection with a source of current supply.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 24th day of February 1925.

LEROY PARKER. LOU E. MILLER. 

